Tell me not that I am too late
by DMaRR89
Summary: AU. Katniss doesn't think she is going to let Peeta Mellark know how she feels, ever. Can a single moment change her mind? She doesn't know what is going on until she hears the gunfire. She freezes for a moment too long and the next thing she feels is Peeta bringing them down and covering her with his body. Is fate giving her the chance or is it taking it or him from her forever?
1. Chapter 1 Katniss' POV

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Chapter 1**

She was seven years old when she stopped abruptly outside the big house in her neighborhood that belonged to the baker and his wife hearing the crashing and cursing coming from inside.

She had heard stories before about the awful witch that lived in it. She was five the first time she believed the stories. And she had believed just because she had witnessed how the witch slapped the boy from her class across the face just because he had given her two more cents than he should have.

Well, at five years old you shouldn't be handing back change in a bakery…she blamed the witch.

As she grew up she noticed more and more how the boy came to school bruised. She knew everyone else saw it too and she wondered too often why no one did anything. Not even the teachers or the principal who were adults and were supposed to protect children.

As she grew older…because seven years old is older…she realized that money too often meant more protection and benefits than it should. No one would ever mess with the baker and in consequence no one would mess with his wife.

It is ironic, she thinks how the baker can be such a kind and friendly person and his wife is the complete opposite.

The door opens suddenly and out comes rushing the boy from her class. Her immediate reaction is to hide behind the bush on the sidewalk and as she does she hears a thud close to her.

"I told you that you are worthless! That you should not try and mess up with me but you never listen! You never do!" the woman yelled as, Katniss couldn't believe it, she kicked the boy on the ground. "Answer me!" she yelled but the boy only kept his eyes squeezed shut as the woman kept on her kicking.

Katniss could see his face from where she was kneeling on the ground. She could almost feel his pain as he just squeezed his eyes, if it was possible, even more.

"Don't come back until I tell you to! Worthless son of a bitch!" she told him as she kicked the earth in his direction.

Katniss didn't know what to do. She just kept looking at him and his eyes squeeze shut on the ground. She could hear him wheezing as he lied there on the ground, his arms engulfing his middle. He looked in a lot of pain.

Katniss reached his hand across the roots of the bush and touched it. She was too afraid to round the bush and come to him since the awful witch might still be watching and if that were the case she probably wouldn't let her help him.

He tensed at her touch as if the contact could only mean some form of pain.

"Are you okay?" She asked and he opened his eyes.

She gasped. His eyes were the color of the sky and so beautiful. She didn't think she had seen eyes like those before. But at the same time she could see the pain in them and the unshed tears that covered them.

"Fine" he managed to say in a whisper but she saw him wince.

"You need help!" she told him as she saw him struggle to get up but not being able to due to the pain.

"No, go" he managed to utter.

But he didn't know that Katniss Everdeen would not leave anyone behind. She was stubborn and she had something within her that always made her worry about others and their wellbeing. She would definitely not be leaving him there.

"I can't leave you here! I can't leave you alone! You can barely breathe!" she told him but she just saw him looking back to the house and then back at her.

"Go" he said again. He was growing breathless as he struggled to move and she worried more. She was not her mother so she couldn't possibly know what was wrong with him but she knew it was wrong so she did the first thing she could and stood up running to Gale's house which was closer. He would know what to do.

"Open up!" she yelled as she pounded the door. "Gale! Come on! Open up!" she kept pounding until she was her best friends furrowed brow.

"What?!" he asked rudely and she frowned back. If someone didn't know them they would think they were siblings. As time passed they turned just into that. Blood doesn't always is the strongest bond.

"Help me! I need your help!" she said as she took his hand and ran back two houses away to where the boy was lying on the ground.

When they reached him again Katniss' heart broke. He was still there in the same position but now tears were streaming down his face.

"What the hell?" Gale uttered in disbelief kneeling next to the boy.

"No, go!" the boy managed to utter but his words were no more than a whisper.

Gale was big and strong and seemed to know what to do better than her since next thing he did was rid up the boy's shirt.

She gasped. It looked awful. An assortment of green and purple and recently made red marks was all over his ribcage and his stomach. Gale touched the boy's ribs and he uttered a cry. Katniss bit her lip.

"He needs a hospital" Gale said.

"No, fine", the boy said.

"You are definitely not fine and you need a hospital. Come on!" Gale said as he managed to position the boy on his arms and carry him the couple of houses to his. Gale was strong and since he was older too, bigger so it wasn't a difficult task to carry the boy to his house. It helped a lot that the boy seemed to be skinnier than he should have been.

"MOM!" he yelled. "Call Mrs. Everdeen! MOM!"

Mr. Everdeen drove them to the hospital as the boys head was on her lap and her mother made sure he was still breathing. She sang a little and that's all she likes to say about that.

Peeta Mellark. The boy's name according to her mom and Mrs. Hawthorne was the baker's boy. Peeta Mellark had two broken ribs on his right side, bruised ribs on the left side, a twisted ankle and a broken wrist. Hence his difficulty breathing and the pain he seemed to be in.

"Stay with him Katniss, while I go to talk to the doctor" her mom had said and so she had stayed.

"Thanks" he uttered in a whisper, his eyes closed. Tears started streaming down his cheeks and they turned from ghostly white to splotchy red. He sobbed and winced all at the same time.

"It's okay" she had said soothingly and in an uncharacteristically act of her she had started to caress his forehead moving his blond bangs from his forehead. She even hummed a little as it seemed to calm him down. "Everything it's going to be okay" she repeated as he cried. "You are not alone Peeta" He fell asleep before her mom came back.

At age seventeen she couldn't help but to think back to that day and how it irremediably had changed all of their lives. She sometimes wished she hadn't made that promise that day since she wasn't able to keep it. Not for long.

After Peeta's dad arrived they had to leave. He didn't go to school for a couple of weeks and when he did show up he had a new assortment of bruises to show.

After that day Gale had taken it upon himself to protect him the way his brothers and his father should have. They became best friends and even when Katniss felt left out most of the time she was glad Peeta had someone who cared about him now.

"Do you want some?" he asks Katniss as he offers a piece of bread and brings her back from memory lane. "Katniss?" he asks again in front of her. She blushes.

"Umm sure" she answers and he smiles. Prim kicks Katniss, she doesn't even know how since they are sitting away from each other on the couch. Peeta goes to the kitchen to keep helping Hazelle and Prim chuckles. Gale turns to look at her and smiles.

"Can you try not to be that obvious?" she tells her sister and Katniss blushes. Katniss turns to look at Gale but his eyes are focused on the TV so she is not sure If he is listening or not.

"I don't know what you are talking about" she tells her little sister as she focuses her eyes on the TV.

"Sure…you don't know" Prim smiles and turns to talk to Rory.

"So funny", Gale mutters but his eyes are still trained on the TV so Katniss doesn't really know if he is talking to her.

They hear laughter coming from the kitchen. Hazelle Hawthorne fell in love with Peeta Mellark when he was seven years old and she saw him on Gale's arms. She's never admitted it but all of the Hawthorne boys and the Everdeen girls suspect that she wishes he was her son too.

Peeta is always around helping in the kitchen, helping the younger boys with their homework, helping Gale at the car shop and even taking care of Posy whenever is needed. On top of all of that he is always helping at the bakery and getting excellent grades. Katniss knows it's not official but he is a Hawthorne. Even when he is not her son Hazelle is proud of him as if he is. She is always taking care of him and miming him. She's the one after all that made sure to help him gain the weight he needed to be healthy after they found him.

It's not only in the Hawthorne house that he's earned a place. He's got one in the Everdeen's heart too. He is always helping around when he can, even when Katniss is there. Peeta's and her relationship has always been awkward. It is a 100% Katniss' fault. She can't look at him for more than a minute or feel him close to her without turning into a blubbering mess.

"Can I?" he asks motioning to the seat next to hers and she turns away blushing. She can feel the blush and begs to God that he can't see it.

"Sure" She answers and she feels him sit beside her. He smells great. Like sugar and cinnamon and something else that is just him.

It's crazy but that day she found him…when he opened his eyes and looked at her…she knew she was a goner. After all the time she's gotten to spend with him even if it is not directly with her but through Gale or Prim or any of them she's been able to see his flaws as well as his virtues and she doesn't think there's a thing that is wrong with Peeta Mellark.

As much as it is crazy it is sad too. She knows he won't ever look at her that way. He is handsome, popular, athletic and a straight A student. She is just…plain Katniss.

Prim stands up as the song of the Hercules movie starts playing and she starts singing aloud while Peeta and Gale laugh and Rory and Posy chime in. She blushes. She knows that look on Prim's face even if the rest of the people in the living room doesn't.

She sighs. Peeta Mellark would never chance a second glance her way.

He's got those blue eyes that melt anyone, a built body due to wrestling team, working with Gale and working at the bakery, a blond hair that shines with the sun and a beautiful smile. He has a way with words that tells her that he could sell ice to an Esquimalt and well, he is practically perfect. It's not a wonder that so many girls are crazy about him. He only seems to have eyes for Delly and even though she knows they are not a couple she still feels jealous of the way he is with Delly. The way he is never going to be with her.

It's okay. She tries to convince herself. As long as the only person who knows is Prim it is okay. She knows that Prim knows because Prim pays way too much attention to her.

She hears him chuckle next to her as he joins Prim, Rory and Posy on the song.

"Who'd'ya think you're kiddin'. He's the earth and heaven to youuuu! Try to keep it hidden Honey, we can see right through you!" they sing along to _"I won't admit I'm in love"_ from the Hercules movie that Posy loves so much. Prim smiles widely as she looks at her sister with a knowing smirk and Posy places her hair brush in front of Peeta's face as if it is a microphone. He concedes and sings with her.

She can't keep her eyes off of him and as he looks at her smiling she wonders if there's going to be a day in which she finally will let Peeta Mellark know how she feels about him. As for now…she doesn't think it will happen.

They are waiting for him outside of his house. Gale clenches his jaw as he hears the cursing and yelling and suddenly, much like all those years ago, Peeta comes out the door tumbling.

He's got a big bruise on his face and she suspects that there must be more hidden. Peeta used to make up stories to cover the bruises and stuff. He stopped after Gale couldn't put up with it anymore.

This isn't the first time he comes out tumbling out of his house in order to avoid being hit. It's sad that he seems to be used to it and never fights her back. Katniss has always wanted him to fight back. Gale wishes Peeta did too.

She knows for a fact that Peeta is counting the days until he can leave for New York on his fancy scholarship. It's sad to Katniss and all the Hawthorns and Everdeens, but in a way they couldn't be happier for him. He is going to be able to run away from this before it is too late. It's only a year away since they are graduating early.

"Hey!" He greets. But it is not good today. Gale is mad so he just clenches his jaw and starts walking. Peeta sighs.

This is always a sore point between the two friends. Gale has always wanted to call social services or to at least threaten the woman but Peeta refuses. He is always saying it isn't that bad. They know it is bad. They know it's getting worse. It is as if the woman is making up for the time she won't have him close to him hit.

They all engage in conversation as they walk to school.

When they get there Peeta goes to his locker and starts talking with Delly as Katniss watches him from her locker.

"Are you listening to what I'm saying?" Gale asks turning to look to where she was looking. He sighs.

"Sure" she answers blushing.

"Why don't you just tell him once and for all Catnip?" he asks and she blushes even deeper if it's possible.

"What?" she asks pretending she didn't understand his question.

"We all know that you like Peeta. Maybe the only person who doesn't is him. Why don't you tell him how you feel? You know him" he tells her and smiles ruefully.

"I don't know what you are talking about Gale" she answers as she puts some books inside her locker.

"Catnip…seriously. What are you waiting for? For him to go to college and never come back?" he asks. And even when Katniss knows that that is exactly what is going to happen and she´s thought about it before it sends a jolt of pain through her chest to hear Gale say what she fears.

"I…" she looks up at him pleadingly. "Don't say a thing Hawthorne" she says scowling and her friend sighs.

"You ready guys?" Peeta asks approaching them.

"I gotta go" Gale says and Katniss smiles at Peeta.

"Yeah, just a second" she says.

She sees out of the corner of her eye as Gale rounds the corner. He probably is going to go looking for Madge or something.

There are a lot of students still out in the hallway which is normal since summer is coming soon. The air gets warmer and warmer every day.

Laughter booms across the hallway.

"It sounds like Cato" says Peeta turning to look to where the voice is coming.

"Something's wrong" she says and Peeta turns to look at her with a strange look on her face.

"It's just Cato" he says. But she can see on his face some sort of uneasiness.

The laughter booms again and she turns so fast that her braid whips his face and she sees him wince.

"Sorry" she says but he just smiles.

"Let's get this party started!" Cato yells and she honestly doesn't know what is wrong with him or what the hell is going on until she hears the gunfire.

There's nothing crossing her mind. She freezes for a moment too long and the next thing she feels is Peeta jumping on top of her bringing them both down to the floor. His head is next to hers and she can hear his shallow breathing and a whimper. She is scared, he probably is too.

They can hear Cato's laugh and the quick steps that pass running by them. Then a door opening and finally closing.

They don't move for a few minutes until they hear people moving around them. Crying and yelling. They both sit.

"Are you okay?" he asks frantically taking her by the arms and searching her body with his blue eyes for wounds or blood or anything. She nods and they both stand up. The hallway is chaos and she can see people on the floor and a lot of blood. She is used to see dead or shot animals but people…that is another thing.

"We have to get out of here Katniss…we have to hide" he tells her and she can see the panic on his eyes. He takes her hand in his big warm one. "Everything will be okay, do you understand? Just follow me" he tells her and she must be in shock still because all she can do is nod.

They start walking; Peeta has his hand on hers and the other one on the lockers like leaning on them. She doesn't think anything wrong from that action. He seems calm and calculating as he guides them but she knows he isn't. She can feel the slight shaking in his hand and while she is reserved he is an open book.

She slips and somehow Peeta manages to keep her on her feet. The small squeak that leaves her lips has them both frozen. Silence is an essential part of their survival right now. She doesn't want to look down. She knows she slipped with blood.

All she can think right now is that Prim is in another building and that the older Hawthorne's are not here today because of Posy's chickenpox. Gale leaving before it all started gives her a sense of relief that she never thought she could feel under these circumstances. Peeta pulls her hand and stops suddenly which makes her crash with his back. She is thankful that he is with her right now, because otherwise she doesn't think she would be standing here right now.

"Here! We'll be safe here!" he says as he opens the door to their right. She's never been in these classes before. It doesn't really matter. As we enter I can see tons of art supplies and canvases all around us. Peeta takes us back to the room and leans against the closets where they probably have the rest of the material in this art class. We are hidden behind big canvases inside this big room which means that to someone who hasn't been here before we are invisible.

The lights aren't on but this room in particular has especially big windows on the ceiling part and the upper part of the classroom. They surely are very helpful when drawing and stuff but it really isn't helpful under these circumstances. There's no way out but the front door.

"Are you sure you are okay Katniss?" he asks her again and she notices for the first time that they are alone and that they are most likely spending the next few hours like this.

"I'm okay" she answers nervously. She doesn't want to look at him because she knows how she's going to get and honestly in this place there's no way to cover it up.

"Good" he says and she can hear something else in his voice this time. Something she can't identify. She hasn't asked him if he is okay and she feels stupid and selfish at having him so worried about her but not having asked him at least once if he was okay.

She turns around to ask him and that's when she sees the small smudges of red leading to where he is sitting now. Words die on her mouth and she feels as though she is choking. It's not a massive blood stain but it means that he is hurt because she sure as hell isn't. She looks at him and she sees his eyes squeeze shut. The leg of his jeans has a trail of blood in the back part and his white converse seem to have a line of blood that reaches the floor staining it with a few drops of blood.

No! This can't be happening! She looks at Peeta and she fills with dread…please no…is all she can think.

**AN.** I hope you like it! It's going to be very short...and it is mostly written so I won't leave you hanging too long! Also, I tried to contact my old beta but couldn't reach her…so I take full responsibility for my grammar and well, you know! Hope to hear from you guys!


	2. Chapter 2 Katniss' POV

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Chapter 2**

"Peeta…your leg" she says and she feels stupid because of course he knows. That's why he is sitting against the closet doors with his eyes squeezed shut.

"Yeah" he tells her opening his eyes and trying to mask the pain he is probably just starting to feel now with a weak smile. Adrenaline can be a bitch in these kinds of situations not allowing you to feel anything for a while and then bringing the pain back full force.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asks and with quick big steps she kneels next to him to inspect his leg. There's a small circle in the leg of his pants that's covered in blood. A bullet shot. She tries to move the denim to have a better look at the wound but he hisses in pain and she removes her hands afraid of hurting him. This is bad.

"I wasn't sure" he tells her and she believes him. "Besides…I had to get you out of there" he gives her a small smile. It hurts her. He got shot because of her, because she froze and he took time to cover her. It might as well have been her who took the shot but he protected her.

It's as if he knows that she is blaming herself because places a hand on her elbow.

"This wasn't your fault Katniss" he tells her and she wants to cry.

She shakes her head. Of course it was her fault! Obviously he won't blame her but she knows. It strikes her now how bad their situation is. There's not only the fact that there's a killer on the loose but Peeta is shot and he is bleeding. It's not spurting kind of bleeding which is the worst, it's slowly trailing kind of bleeding that while is good because it means no artery has been damaged doesn't help under these circumstances because there's nothing here to stop the bleeding.

"We have to get you out of here…" she tells him and stands up fast. She can't risk him losing too much blood or he might get into shock and things can turn only for the worse. She can't risk losing him. It strikes her how ironic life is and how she thought just a couple of days ago that she would never tell him how she felt about him.

"No" he tells her reaching for her hand which seems to aggravate his pain. "I didn't take us out of there for you to go out again…"

"Peeta…we have to get you out! Look at your leg!" she tells him trying to control the desperate tone that's lacing her voice. He looks at his leg as she tells him but shrugs it off as if it is nothing. As if the nonstop trickle that looks bigger as the time passes isn't something to worry about.

"It will be okay. I'm fine." He says dismissively.

"We have to get you out! You are bleeding and a doctor needs to look at that Peeta" she insists but he's is having none of that. He pulls at her arm like asking her to sit down.

"It's fine! We have to wait until the police get in and someone gets Cato. It's too dangerous to go out and run into him or something. We have to wait. Please?" he asks and she can't help but relent to those puppy eyes.

She wishes she was stronger and bigger so she could get him up and out of there. She knows that waiting is not the best thing they can do but frankly if he doesn't want to move she can't do anything. It worries her even more thinking that the reason he doesn't want to get up is because he can't get up. She's scared. She doesn't want him to die. And she is even more scared for the fact that the idea of that happening is crossing her mind.

"It will be fine" he tells her as he takes her hand and intertwines his fingers with hers. She blushes but at the moment her focus is kept on the trail of blood.

She feels stupid that it only comes to her right now that she has a tank top under her sweatshirt. She releases his hand and stands up. If they are going to wait here the least she can do is stem the flow of blood so she takes her sweatshirt off.

"What are you doing?" he asks his cheeks flushed. She thinks it is a good sign that he can still flush.

"If we are waiting I have to stem the blood flow. I can't have you losing too much blood, you can go into shock" she tells him and he nods. She applies pressure and he grits his teeth. She takes the long sleeves and ties them around his leg, right under the knee in a secure knot and with the rest of the sleeves she makes a sort of bandage on the wound.

She looks at him and he looks in pain and his skin looks shiny with a layer of sweat covering it and that's not a good sign. She knows it. Her eyes fill with tears. She doesn't want him to die.

"It's okay Katniss" he tells her in a pained voice.

She's not sure if he is trying to convince her or to convince himself. She doesn't believe that everything will be alright the way things are right now.

She takes his hand again and he intertwines his fingers with hers. They have to be okay. They have to get out of there fine. He has to get out of there fine.

It's been a couple of minutes with them in relative silence. She doesn't think it's a good idea have him talking and wasting his energy. Her phone buzzes inside her pocket and her eyes widen. She didn't even remember she still had it with her. She takes it out and sees a message. She remembers immediately that while she still has texts to send she can't call anybody with that piece of crap because she spent all her minutes talking to Annie the other day.

"_Are you okay?", _her eyes widen. It's Gale. And he must be fine if he is texting her.

"_I'm fine",_ she texts him back and then she looks at Peeta. "It's Gale" she tells him and she sees some sort of relief fill his features. Even in the state he is in he is still worried about Gale.

"He's okay?" he asks.

"I think so" she answers.

"_Where are you? I was worried about you. You weren't in the hallway anymore? I'm freaking out Katniss I've been texting Peeta but he doesn't answer. Is he with you?_" the next message reads and she looks at Peeta.

"_Yes"_ she sends back.

"He's been texting you but you never answered he is worried about you" she tells Peeta and he shakes his head.

"Tell him I'm okay" he tells her and she looks up to see his face. He looks kind of pale and a little tired but other than that he seems okay. Okay for a guy with a bullet on his leg.

"Of course I won't do that" she tells him scowling.

"If you tell him the truth he is going to get out of wherever he is safe and he'll try to get here…it's dangerous" he tells her and she can't keep her eyes off of him. She can't believe what she's hearing…If she was him she would be dying for someone to come and help her. He might as well be dying in her incompetent hands right now. She had heard before many times how Gale used to say that Peeta was too kind and too selfless for his own good. She knows now it is true since he is trying to protect Gale rather than have him here helping him.

What is she supposed to do?!

She places the cell phone next to her and sits more comfortably next to him. His injured leg is right next to her and she can smell the blood but she tries to think about other things in order to keep her mind off of it.

"I'm sorry" she tells him.

"For what?" he asks her.

"I froze…You got shot because you were trying to protect me…because I froze…" she tells him slowly as her face burns with shame.

"Hey" he tells her squeezing her hand. She blushes as she remembers that they are holding hands. "I wanted to protect you…this isn't your fault…just something that happened" he tells her and she shakes her head. How can he say that it isn't her fault is beyond her!

They spend a few more minutes; she's not sure how many, in silence until she feels his head resting on her shoulder.

"Peeta?" she calls his name.

"Mmmhmmm" is his answer.

"Peeta…don't fall asleep" she tells him as she looks sideways trying to get a glimpse of his face. He seems to be drifting off. If there's something that she can't let happen is him falling asleep.

"Why not?" he asks but he sounds tired and upon closer inspection, meaning her hand on his cheek she realizes that he feels sort of clammy.

"You can't" she tells him and he seems to wake up a little. In all honesty she has no idea if not falling asleep is the right thing in cases of blood loss but she can't let him fall asleep just in case. She wishes Prim was there so she could ask her…she takes her cell phone feeling really stupid and sends her little sister a text. She can't tell Gale but she sure as hell can tell her little sister to call 911 and tell them that Peeta is shot and that they need help.

"Okay" he says and opens his eyes.

Her phone vibrates again in her pocket. Two texts. One Prim. One Gale.

"_Is he okay?"_ Gale asks and she looks at Peeta with his pale face and clammy skin. No, she wants to tell him but Peeta is right. If Gale knows that Peeta's been shot he's going to try to help. They can't risk Gale's life like that. They just can't. They can't lose him. But then again she's thinking that she can't lose Peeta either. If he dies here, because of saving her, she's not sure she will be able to live with herself. _"Is he okay? Tell me!" _demands the next text and she just looks at Peeta.

She decides to open her sister's text.

"_I'm glad you're okay. I already call. School is on lockdown. Make a tourniquet that will give you some time. You need to get him out of there"_ it reads and her eyes fill with tears because she knows. "_Don't let too much time pass. Is he awake? How is his breathing? Is he clammy?_" reads the other message. She looks at Peeta.

"_Tourniquet done! His breathing: normal. He is awake. He is clammy."_ She answers and goes back to Gale's message.

"Gale again?" Peeta asks, he probably noticed her looking intently at the text message.

"He is demanding to know if you are okay" she tells him.

"Then tell him I am" he tells her and winces as he fidgets a little to get more comfortable. His head is still resting on her shoulder.

"I can't" she tells him and looks at him. "If I do and something happens…he's never going to forgive me" He nods, he knows it's the truth.

"But if something happens to him…I will never forgive myself" Peeta tells her. "He's…I can't risk him…not to save me" he tells her. "Besides I'm not sure what he could do to help" he chuckles and for the life of her she doesn't understand what is so funny.

"I just…" she looks at the phone in her hand. She won't answer. She won't lie to him because he won't forgive her if she does.

"He's my best friend since we were seven" He informs her. "He's been protecting me ever since…this is my chance to protect him" he tells her seriously.

"Peeta…" she starts.

"It wasn't my fault" he tells her and she looks at him confused. She has no idea what he is talking about. "The thing was about to break and I just…It wasn't my fault…but she didn't care…It broke and it send the just finished cakes to the floor…she got so mad…" he says and sighs. "I never saw her get that mad before…so I knew that this beating was going to be worse than the other ones…She took the rolling pin…" he says and pauses.

"A rolling pin?!" she exclaims in a whisper. He nods. She pales. She's known that his mother hits him but not with what and it breaks her all the more to know.

She looks at his face that is pretty close to her resting on her shoulder. It unnerves her, the eerily calm that it shows while telling the story like this is a normal thing. His face has a look far off as if he is reliving the moment that makes her want to shake him and keep him from thinking about it. It is not a secret in town how much of a witch Peeta's mom is. The bruises that constantly adorn his face, arms or other parts of his body clearly come from her. He never tells anyone anything but everyone knows. No one does anything about it. Well, no one but Gale.

"She hit me in the face first" he says and touches his face. "But she was too mad…so she started hitting wherever she could…I fell to the floor…I tried to cover myself but it only made it worse…she started kicking…Rye got into the kitchen right in that moment and got in the middle…I never thanked him for it…he probably saved me from dying right there" he says.

"You are going to thank him then when we get out" she chokes out. There's still so much that he has to do, there's still so much.

"He told me to get up and get out…I managed to run a bit…but it hurt too much…and I fell in the yard right next to the bush"

"Where I found you"

"Yeah…I was terrified…She came out and started kicking me. When she left and I opened my eyes you were there and then you brought Gale and I got even more scared because he was older and he was always scowling and I thought he hated me" he laughs and I laugh along. We were seven and Gale was eight. We were just kids but Peeta is right…Gale always had an aura around him, that terrified everyone.

"But he didn't" in the middle of the terrible story and the laughs we are sharing I can only think that this is good…if he is talking to me he won't fall asleep.

"He did not…I was gasping for air…I couldn't breathe…he kneeled next to me and asked me if I was okay…I could only nod frantically he took me in his arms and you were there too…I didn't want him to kill me…his mom came out because he called her and when she saw me she got scared…I thought I was going to die…she completely freaked out" he laughs again and she shakes her head.

"You looked pretty bad" she tells him.

"You remember?" he asks. She only nods. "I didn't think you did" he tells her and keeps going with his story. "His mom picked me up and called your mom…"

"Who freaked out too" she says and he laughs.

"Yeah…Gale's dad wasn't home but yours was so they asked him to take me to the hospital"

"Gale seemed worried he never got worried about anything…you could barely breathe"

"Two broken ribs…and who knows what else…I don't remember much…Just that you sang to me" she blushes. She never repeats that part of the story to anyone not even to herself because she feels sort of ashamed. She doesn't sing that much and when she does she doesn't like people hearing her. She always keeps that part of the story vague.

"You heard me?" she asks and her blush turns redder if it's possible at this new piece of information.

She sang to him because it seemed to relax him. She can only remember how weak and fragile he seemed in that moment and as she looks at him now she realizes that that's just how he looks in this moment.

"The most beautiful thing I have ever heard" he says and smiles wistfully.

"Shut up" she tells him and swats his arm.

"Really…I never thanked you for that did I?" he asks.

"You didn't have to…you don't have to…"

"After that…Gale never left me alone again. He made sure to be with me as long as he could in order to keep mom at bay…I would still get hit…but less regularly because I would always be at his house or he would be at the bakery…He's protected me for so long Katniss…I have to do it for him now" he tells her and she understands. Of course she does.

"I understand…I won't tell him anything okay?"

"Thank you for the singing" he says again and she blushes. He chuckles. She thinks that sometimes he likes to see her blush and he does things on purpose to see her blush.

"You are welcome" she answers. He straightens up against the cabinets.

"That wasn't the first time I heard you sing, you know?" he tells her and she is shocked.

She is about to ask him when did he hear her sing before that when the door is opened in a swift movement and they both freeze. If it is possible Peeta turns paler.

She stands up as frozen as she feels and against Peeta's wishes because he is pulling her hand with the little strength he's got she picks up a piece of wood and walks to the corner where she can still be concealed but she can see who is there.

The only thing that crosses her mind is that she won't let anyone hurt him anymore.

No one will touch him again. He is not alone. Never again.

AN. When I started writing this story I really liked it! If at least one person liked it too, it would be worth it! So thank you guys for your favorite or follow! I really really appreciate it and don't worry as long as there is someone reading I will keep posting! As I said the story is mostly completed so don't worry about me leaving you hanging! Thanks again guys for taking the time to leave a review or a favorite! That's what keeps me going!


	3. Chapter 3 Peeta's POV

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Chapter 3**

The day started pretty bad. And that is saying something; he's had pretty terrible days in his life.

One hit to the face and the bruising that is going to be there in a couple of minutes is enough, he decides as he runs away from his mother's reach and tumbles through the door just to see Gale and Katniss waiting outside for him.

Gale immediately gets mad and clenches his jaw in his characteristic way and Katniss simply looks down. This is not something they haven't seen before and Peeta usually made up some sort of lie to cover the bruises and stuff but there's no point now as Gale and probably the whole town knows about what happens inside his house.

They walk to school and when they get there he goes to his locker like everyday only to find, like everyday a bouncing Delly waiting for him. There's not much left of school and so she's been insisting over and over again that he has to tell Katniss how he feels. She is Katniss' number one cheerleader even if the brunette doesn't know about it. But like everyday he finds a reason not to. In his head there's still plenty of time even if he knows that that is the way he lies to himself in order to keep her from running away from him. Because he knows that is what she is going to do when she finds out. He's been close to her enough through the years to know how she is going to react. He waves off Delly and walks over to Katniss and Gale.

He knew something was wrong with the day, the people, everything seemed off today. The thing is he didn't know what.

When he hears Cato's laugh he remembers his friend telling him to stay clear from the hallway today. Maybe not even go to his locker that day specifically. He hadn't paid much attention. When he heard the gunshots and saw Katniss frozen in front of him he had wished he had paid more attention or taken his friends words more seriously.

He wants her safe as fast as possible and that is why even when he feels something off with his leg he doesn't dare look at it until they make it into the art room. If he is honest he didn't feel a thing for a while there and then the burning sensation started.

When she notices she wants to get out of their little cave but he doesn't allow that to happen. He isn't going to put her at risk after taking her out of there. From the looks of that hallway when they left there was some serious damage done to other people. He feels bad because he didn't stop to help anyone else but then again when it comes to Katniss he really doesn't think clearly.

His nonexistent survival instinct had kicked in and gotten him to take her out of there as fast as he could.

When he sees her face he knows she is feeling guilty, that she probably thinks of a million reasons why this was her fault. So he reassures her that it isn't. It really wasn't.

She makes a makeshift bandage that hurts like hell but at least helps with the blood flow. He knows he's got better chances to get out of there if he loses as little blood as possible.

When he feels himself blushing when she takes her sweatshirt off and is left only in her tank top he knows he isn't as bad as he could be, because he can still blush.

The hardest thing inside that classroom isn't the knowledge that he was shot and that he may die but convince Katniss that she can't tell Gale a thing. He knows his friend. He knows that if Gale finds out he will go out of wherever he is hiding and come here even if it means getting killed by having an encounter with Cato.

He starts dozing off and only realizes when she tells him to open his eyes. He feels tired, really tired and he knows he is sweating like a pig because he can feel his shirt damp with sweat.

It takes more than a few words to convince Katniss after all. He has to tell her, to recall the day they met. The day his mother hit him so hard and kicked him out in the yard not caring if someone saw. He even tells her that he heard her singing and he sees her blush, he really loves when she blushes.

Then they hear the door opening fast and then closing. They both freeze and he thinks that he must be the person with the worst luck in the world if Cato managed to get in here because that only means that he found them and that they are probably dead. He couldn't protect her.

He thinks of ways to beg him to spare Katniss, after all they are friends and he may do this as a little favor to Peeta. All of those things go through his mind in a span of a few seconds and then he sees Katniss taking a piece of wood.

He's never hated his body more than in this moment.

He tries to pull her hand to stop her from investigating but his body is failing him and she easily removes her hand from his. He doesn't feel as strong as he usually is. He knows this is bad.

"We have to get out…" says one voice.

"I know but I'm scared…what If we cross paths with him on our way out…he's going to kill us…he's gone mad! Or what if is any of the other guys?" the other voice says.

"I know but…we have to get out! Your shoulder is bleeding badly! There must be something here to help" the voice says and that's when Katniss steps outside from the hiding spot.

"Peeta?" they ask as they come into his view with Katniss. It's Beete and Wiress from his chem. lab.

"Are you okay?" he asks coming closer to where Peeta is and his eyes widen as he sees the made up bandage on his leg.

"Yeah, you guys okay?" Peeta asks.

"Yeah, but a bullet grazed Wiress in the shoulder" he tells him. "We are heading out…he doesn't seem to be around here…last I heard he was in the library so we have to take advantage of that. Come with us!" He says as he turns to look at Katniss as if the decision is hers.

"I can't" she tells him. And Beete nods; of course he sees where Peeta has been shot. He knows there's no way he is walking out of here. At least not without help, help he can't give him because he is too short and weak to do so.

"You are bleeding a lot dude!" he says and he seems nervous and concerned. Well, he knows he is bleeding but is not like he can do anything about it.

"We can't leave you guys here" says Wiress appearing behind Beete.

"Katniss…" Beete looks at her imploringly. He wants her to go with them. Peeta doesn't want to be here alone but if he is honest with himself he has little chances of getting out. He is starting to feel breathless and that just means his time is running out. He doesn't want Katniss to stay just to see him get worse. Or…he doesn't even want to think of the word…even if he might as well be getting used to the idea. It's not really the fact of that happening to him that scares him but the fact that it could happen here while she is alone with him.

He should've told her how he felt. So many times. And there was him thinking that he still had time, he should've told Katniss how he felt like Delly wanted him to.

"Come with us!" Wiress voices out what Beete was trying to imply. "We will get him help as soon as we can but you come with us!" Katniss looks conflicted. Of course she wants to leave but she would feel guilty. She's too good to abandon someone. She didn't leave him when he was a kid and he told her to.

"Go with them" he tells her and he is surprised at how tired his voice sounds. He just wants her to get out.

"What?" she asks turning around so fast that her braid hits her face. This is something she does when she is surprised he has learned.

"Go with them...I'll be fine!" he tries to smile but it comes out more like a wince. The pain has gradually grown just like his tiredness.

"No! I'm not going to leave you! I'm not going to do that!" she tells him but he knows that deep inside he wants to get out of there. She is a survivor after all and her instinct must be yelling at her to leave with Wiress and Beete.

"You have to get out while you still can Katniss! This is the perfect chance to get you to safety!" He tries to reason but she shakes her head.

"No", agh! Why does she have to be so freaking stubborn?

"Yes, leave with them and send help when you can it's not like I'm going anywhere" he tells her, serious but a little annoyed at her stubbornness. In his head it sounds reasonable and in all truth he wants her to go out. First, because he wants her to get to safety so he doesn't have to worry about her still being inside the school with psycho Cato on the loose and second because he doesn't know how much longer he will hold on and he doesn't want her to see him like that.

She ponders it for a few seconds. He knows she is considering it but right when he thinks she has come to terms with a decision (that he hopes is on her benefit) she turns around again and looks at him. Her eyes widen and she shakes her head.

He looks down and sees the small pool of blood that's under his shot leg and he sighs. Nope, she's not leaving.

"I'm staying with him. I can't leave him alone, not like that" she tells Beete and he nods.

"We will tell them that he is hurt and where you guys are. I promise!" he says looking at Peeta. "I'm sorry" he says and looks to the floor.

"It's okay" he tells him. He is apologizing for not being big enough to help him. He is apologizing for leaving them here for wanting to survive. He doesn't blame him.

"We are going to send help! We promise! Lock the door Katniss!" says Wiress behind Beete and they both leave being as silently as they can.

Katniss is still standing where she was.

"You should've left" he tells her.

"Shhh!" she says and turns around. She is mad. "You…shouldn't…agh!" she says as she sits on the opposite side from where he is sitting. It kind of is better to have her in front of him even if she is doing it to distance herself from him.

"I'm sorry" he tells her. For making you mad, for keeping you here, for not telling you how I feel…it conveys all of them.

"Shut up Peeta" she says. They stay silent.

He doesn't know how much time passes or what happens but the next thing he feels is Katniss shaking him.

"Don't fall asleep!" she tells him and there's a frantic look on her face, she is tense and she's got her cell phone in her hand. He doesn't think much of it. He is too tired and he is having a hard time getting air into his lungs.

"I won't…sorry" he tells her but he is tired. The pain…it is still there but it is bearable. Nothing he hasn't felt before.

Her cell phone vibrates again and he notices just now that she is sitting next to him again. She stands up and gets a piece of fabric that is covering a painting and places it over him. She sits next to him and passes her arm over his shoulders. She's trying to warm him up.

"You're cold" she tells him. She's not asking. He didn't notice before but he does now, he is starting shiver a little. He wonders how much time they have spent here…how much time has passed since this all started…how much time does he have left? With the way he is feeling he is guessing it can't be much. He makes a decision.

"Yeah, listen" he tells her and he knows that If he is going to die today the last thing he can do is make the most out of this situation. Even if she doesn't reciprocate he has to let her know. She starts rubbing his arms with frantic movements that are more fueled by her fear than anything else. "If I don't…" she doesn't let him finish. She takes her arms and squeezes hard. If he weren't feeling numb he guesses it would have hurt.

"Shut up!" she says and glares at him.

"Katniss…just in case I need you to…"

"Peeta, please!" She tells him and he sees the look she's got. She's scared. He is scared too but he needs her to know. He needs to tell her just in case. He's waited too long now, too long and maybe he won't be able to tell her later.

"We were five the first time I heard you sing" He tells her. This is the next best way, if she won't have it any other way.

"Oh!" she says and he sees relief in her face. She places her hands on her lap and starts playing with her fingers. It is like if not talking about him dying is going to keep it from happening.

"It was the first day of school. My dad pointed you out in the line while you were with your father. You had a red plaid dress and your hair was in two braids instead of one. Then in class when they asked who knew the valley song your hand shot straight up. You sang beautifully" he tells her and she looks down as if recalling the memory. "I knew I was a goner as soon as the song finished! I've liked you ever since Katniss!" he tells her. There! He said it! After all these years...he finally said it…too bad he did it when he is dying. He looks at her and she pales her eyes wide but locked on the floor. It's as if something is finally making sense, like she is realizing something just now. He wonders what that is.

"Peeta I…" she starts and looks up at him her eyes full of tears, he sees her swallow as if there's a big lump in her throat and then she looks at him. His heart falls to his feet.

"You don't have to say anything…I just wanted you to know…just in case…" he tells her and her eyes widen.

"You are not going to die in here! Stop talking like that!" She tells him and he once again has managed to make her mad.

"Katniss…" he starts. He feels like somehow she has to be prepared in case it happens.

"No! Promise me! Promise that you won't die on me Peeta!" she tells him as she takes his hand in hers and squeezes tightly and he looks at her. How can he promise something like that? Oh, the irony of it all.

Her eyes fill with tears at his silence. She looks at him imploringly like willing him to promise.

"I'm sorry" he tells her. She shakes her head.

"This is my fault. Always my fault! You can't die on me, you hear me? We are getting you out of here!"

"We?" what is she talking about?

Her cell phone vibrates again and then they hear movement by the door. He sees her check her cell phone again and she sighs in what seems to be relief. She stands up and runs to the door.

"You made it!" he hears her say with relief and then he hears an oompf as if someone's air got knocked out.

"You should've told me sooner Catnip!" Oh no! What has she done?

"Gale?" he asks and he appears looking utterly mad. As mad as he is himself at seeing him here all he can think about is Uh Oh!

"What the fuck dude?" he asks kneeling next to him. He places his hand over Peeta's forehead.

"Why did you come? Why did you call him?" He asks her looking at her like if what she did was unforgivable.

"Shut up! How could you ask her not to tell me? Just shut the hell up" Gale tells him looking at him seriously.

"We have to get you out of here dude…this doesn't look good" he says standing up and running his hands through his hair much like Peeta does every time he is nervous or desperate.

"No" he answers and Gale turns to look at him sharply.

"You don't have much time Peeta. Your breathing is shallow, your skin clammy, you are shivering. All of those signs that you are going into shock dude! You know what follows?" he asks him.

"What do you know?" he asks him but he knows Gale is right. They took the same health class. They learned all of those things in the: what to do in emergency cases part of the class.

"I'm not an idiot Peeta!" he yells and Katniss jumps. "I know you didn't want to risk me or Catnip here but we have to get you out! As soon as I found out I called 911 but they said they can get in until it is qualified as a secure area. That's not happening soon…no one knows where the hell Cato is so we are taking you out right now" he tells him and he sounds authoritative.

"I don't think I can" he tells them both. He knows he is not okay…he's known for a while now.

"Peeta" Katniss tells him as he looks at the floor and winces. "I know" she tells him taking his face between her hands. "That's why I called Gale! We are getting you out of here okay? And after that we are going to talk about what you told me! We are going to but you have to be strong okay?" she asks of him.

He doesn't think he wants to talk about it if it is what he saw on her face. That face can't be good news.

He nods tiredly. He has to try. That's all he can think.

"Come on" Gale says as he helps him get up and Peeta pales as he tries to stand on the leg. Gale seems to notice because he passes Peeta's arm over his shoulders and Peeta places the majority of his weight on Gale. "It's okay Peet! Small steps! We are getting you out of here"

"I'm not worried about that" he tells him seriously but he feels as if everything is blurring around the edges. He shakes his head a little to get rid of it.

"I know what you are worried about. But we are going to be okay…you are the one that matters right now, okay?"

"Why don't you guys just go out and look for help and then come back later?" he asks as Katniss takes his other arm passing it over her shoulders.

"You are not alone Peet! You have not been alone since you were seven and Catnip found you. So you are not alone now…we are not leaving without you…"

The thing was that he felt too tired to keep his eyes open, too cold without the fabric covering him and in too much pain to move. He couldn't tell them but just standing there with them being his support he felt extremely tired.

"Let's go" said Gale and Peeta thinks that maybe for a moment he lost consciousness because he doesn't remember them walking all the way to the door.

"You can do this Peeta, we know you can!" Katniss tells him. All he can think about is that if he is incapable of walking out of here, they won't get out of here and Cato could find them. They have to get out because he doesn't think he is going out of here.

"Wait…please" he asks them and he sees the worried looks on their faces. He probably looks like shit. "Katniss…I…"

"Peeta please…we have to get you out of here…" she says urgently. She looks at everywhere but his eyes and that only make his stomach drop further, even when he knows that that shouldn't matter right now because he is as good as dead or that is how he feels.

They start walking out of the classroom that was their protection for the time they spent there. Everywhere they look they can see blood and in some places even some bodies. He shivers and he is not sure if it is because he is cold or because of the sight of the bodies. How could Cato do something like that? Why Cato?

"We'll stop here first" says Gale suddenly and again he thinks that he blacked out because he doesn't remember walking all the way to the nurse station.

They get in and surprisingly there is no one there. They sit him in a chair and run inside to grab bandages and stuff.

"We have to put this on you" says Katniss taking one of his arms and putting it inside one of the sleeves of the hoodie. Then the other arm and she hugs him rubbing his back with her hands to give him some warmth. Best part of his day, he thinks.

"The best part is going to be when we are out of here" she whispers in his ear. His eyes widen because he didn't think he had said that aloud and because Katniss' voice sounds so sincere…like she believes he's going to get out of there.

"This may hurt Peet but I'm going to apply another bandage, tighter okay? We need to buy a little more time, we are close now". he only nods and grunts a little when Gale tightens the bandages around his leg. He feels dizzy and he wishes he could scream but that would put them in further risk. "Now we go" Gale says and just like before they support him with their bodies as they walk out again.

Miraculously he knows where they are and he feels relief knowing that they just have to turn to the right and at the end of the hallway is the exit.

But it was too good to be true and just as they turn to the right there is no other than Cato standing there with a rifle or something like that hanging on his shoulder.

"Whoa Whoa Whoaaaa!" he says putting his hands up. Peeta turns to look from Gale to Katniss noticing their pale skin as it dawns on them that they are not going to make it outside. "What the hell happened to you Peet?" he asks. He looks genuinely concerned.

"What do you think happened to him?" asks Gale as he sends daggers with his eyes towards Cato's way.

"Shit, I told you to stay away from the hallway today!" he turns to look at Peeta angry.

"I forgot…" Peeta manages to croak out, his voice sounding foreign to him.

"Shit, shit shit! This isn't my fault! It's your fault! I told you! I told you God damnit!" he starts yelling and pacing in the corridor.

"It's done dude…just let us get out!" Gale tells him slowly. It's as if he is approaching a wounded animal with his voice calm and neutral. "We have to get him out or he is going to die…he's shivering like mad now…there's not much time left" Gale tells him and Cato's face scrunches up with some sort of worry and indecision.

He seems to ponder for a few seconds what his plan of action is going to be. Seconds that tick away from Peeta who keeps bleeding. He knows because the spots around the corners are growing threatening to surround him in blackness.

"Please Cato, Please! Let us take him out please" Katniss begs but he only shakes his head.

"No! No one is going out!" He yells. "I'm sorry Peet I'm really sorry I can't let you go" he says and he sounds genuinely sorry.

"He is your friend! Are you going to let him die?" Katniss yells. "If he dies you killed him! You are killing your friend!" she yells again and Cato shakes his head.

Peeta wants to tell Katniss to shut up. To leave Cato alone and hopefully he won't do anything to hurt Gale or her but he can't. At this point he can't utter another word.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" he yells and points at them with his gun.

Gale looks at something he doesn't know what it is but he sees something and suddenly he pulls them down and they hear the doors banging open and shots.

Everything happens in a blur. Police officers enter the school. Katniss is screaming for help as someone applies pressure to his leg. It probably is Gale. Someone is talking to him, someone takes his hand but he can't understand what is happening. He doesn't understand. He is tired, he wants to sleep. He feels cold, too cold.

He can't breathe. He is cold. He is in pain. His eyelids are drooping and he is surprised because he thought his eyes were closed as all that surrounded him was blackness. He doesn't want to sleep but his eyelids finally drop and even when he hears someone calling him he just wants to sleep. He wants to sleep; he thinks he is going to start right about now.

**AN.** Hey guys! Hope you like the chapter! Let me know what you think! Only a couple more left. First we are going to hear from Gale and then Katniss again. Hope you like it!


	4. Chapter 4 Gale's POV

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Chapter 4**

He leaves Katniss standing next to Peeta at the lockers. He wonders when one of those fools is going to have enough balls to tell the other one how they feel. It's crazy how they both like each other but they are oblivious to it. He shakes his head. He promised both of them that he wouldn't tell the other, he wonders if it would be something forgivable if he did. After all, it would be a huge favor.

He rushes to the class where he knows Madge is waiting for him. He has just finished greeting Annie, Finnick, Jo and Madge when they hear yelling and gunshots. He rushes to the door locking it and turning the lights off. Then he asks them to kneel on the ground and stay down close to the wall so they won't be as visible. Madge takes his hand and squeezes tightly.

"Where's Katniss and Peeta?" she asks with wide eyes. He shakes his head. He had left them in the hallway and he just hopes they weren't there anymore when all this started. Sadly, something inside him tells him that that is not the case.

They hear steps and boisterous laughing outside and everyone cowers closer to the wall.

"Where are Peet and Katniss?" asks Finnick next to them, Annie trembling and clinging to his neck.

"We were all in the hallway and then I left to come here and I don't know guys…I'm really not sure…" he says and Finnick and Madge whose faces he can actually see seem pale even in the darkness.

"What are we going to do?" asks Madge looking at him and he wishes she wouldn't ask him because he doesn't really know. For the first time he doesn't have an immediate answer. The worry he feels and dread that fills him is overwhelming. He just shakes his head.

"You have your cell phone, right?" she asks him and he nods. "Text them. I'm sure they are all right" she says. But even she sounds unsure.

He takes his cell phone out of his pocket and makes sure is in vibration mode as he starts texting Peeta. If one of them is most likely to be out there it is him.

"Did he answer?" asks Finnick scooting closer. He can only shake his head and he sees in Finnick's face that he has that feeling too. He knows that something is not okay, a feeling that has nothing to do with their current situation, because as much as he is scared because there's someone on the loose with a gun they are relatively safe in this classroom.

Finnick arrived in town a few years back and had been brought to Gale by Peeta who met him in one of those classes that no guy that respects himself would take. But of course Peeta took and the other guy was taking it to get girls. At the beginning he had not liked the green eyed, too handsome to be a guy boy with his noisy and loud personality. He had grown on him and the three of them had become inseparable. Finnick just as Gale tended to protect Peeta. He had found out about Peeta's mom in the hard way. As he was visiting Peeta and he saw how she beat the crap out of him for some flour spilled on the counter.

Gale understands perfectly well how Finnick is feeling right now because they probably are feeling the same.

"Try again" Madge says but he knows why she insists. She feels like if Peeta doesn't answer Gale is going to go out there and start looking for him even at his own risk. He knows that is what scares her and he knows that is exactly what he is going to do if Peeta doesn't answer.

They hear someone yelling outside and everything in him asks him to go out and help. He is not alone and he has to think about all the people in the classroom before doing something that may endanger everyone.

"Please" yells the voice "Someone please" but not one of them make a sound or move. The thing is that the voice sounds just like Peeta's childhood friend Delly. "Please" she cries again. That's enough.

"Gale don't" asks Madge as she pulls him down and squeezes his hand with more force. "Please just stay here" she asks pleadingly. He shakes his head. She seems to understand and reluctantly lets his hand go.

"I'm going with you" says Finnick right behind him. Gale looks back and sees Annie trembling next to Madge while Tresh moves his hand on her back soothingly.

They open the door as quietly as they can, they can't see the girl but they hear the sobbing so they start walking towards the sound. As they walk they see some people on the floor, unmoving and it unnerves him. When they turn to the right where the sound is coming they see Delly in the floor a boy's head on her legs. She is crying and talking in hushed tones to the boy asking him to wake up.

At this distance he can't see what is wrong with him but he just hopes that there is nothing wrong with him.

They walk slowly and silently looking all around them for signs of the shooter. They reach her and Delly looks up at them with tearful eyes.

"He hit his head when everything started…he won't wake up" she says crying.

They don't utter a word just limiting to indicate her that she has to be quiet, they just kneel to pick up Thom who is lying in the floor his head on Delly's lap. He's got a nasty bump on his head that they can see bleeding but there doesn't seem to be something else wrong with him.

As they walk back to the classroom they pick up any person on the way that asks for help and they head back to the classroom. There are approximately ten people with them when they begin walking back. The knot in Gale's throat has only gotten bigger since going out and coming back. His phone has not vibrated, not even once. Peeta is not answering which only adds to the heavy situation at hand.

"Text Katniss" Madge tells him imploringly when she sees his worried expression as he kneels next to her when they are back into the classroom.

In the classroom people has started moving to clean small wounds or help the new comers.

"_Are you okay?", _he asks her and plays with the phone on his hands waiting for the answer.

"_I'm fine",_ she texts him back and he sighs in relief. At least she is okay. So he decides to ask about Peeta. Last time he saw any of them they were together so he can hope that they are together.

"_Yes"_ she sends back. And something breaks inside him. Like if this yes, he is with me means more than just that.

"What is she saying?" Finnick asks his eyes wide and concern evident on his features.

"He is with her…" he says but Finnick must see on his face something because he scoots closer leaving Annie with Madge again.

"What's wrong?" he asks and Gale shakes his head looking at him directly to the eyes. "Something's wrong…you can feel it, right?" he asks and Gale nods, Finnick sighs. "Before we decide to play hero ask her if he's okay. You know Katniss…she won't lie to you"

Finnick is right. Katniss wouldn't lie to him about something like that. She knows how important Peeta is for him. So he sends a text asking. He waits but she doesn't answer immediately like the past texts. He sends another one demanding an answer and waits again.

"She's not answering anymore" he says as he stands up.

"No news means good news?" Finnick says nervously but they both look into each other's eyes and they know that under these circumstances no answer from Katniss means something definitely is wrong.

"I have to go look for them" he states simply turning to look at Madge and Annie as well at the rest of the kids that are in the classroom right now.

The panicked look that he gets from Finnick, Madge and Annie tells him that he's being stupid.

"You don't even know where they are!" Madge exclaims.

"I just…"

"She's right man!" Finnick tells him looking directly into his eyes. Finnick is a very truthful and a trustworthy person. He usually knows what to say and is wise beyond his years even when everyone just knows that crazy, sarcastic and flirty person that he shows to the world. He is so much more than that. And he is one of the bravest people Gale knows so he knows that he is not agreeing with Madge out of simple fear. "If you want to help, you have to be rational. First you need to keep pressuring Katniss…maybe she will tell you where they are and then we can do something to help"

"You are right…but it may take time and I don't know…"

"Gale", Annie looks at him. "If there is something you can do, you will do it. But not risking your life! We are not letting you!" she tells him firmly and he nods. That's all he can do. Besides it doesn't matter how stubborn he is, he knows they are right. Not knowing where they are, going out there is practically suicide.

They hear more shots and everyone cowers and even yells a little bit. Gale shushes them all. He stands up and goes to the door just to make sure that the shooter or shooters are not that close. He can hear more than one voice and he wonders if there is more than just one person shooting out there. It just makes the rock at the bottom of his stomach feel heavier.

Suddenly out of nowhere there's someone standing in front of the door and Gale's eyes widen as he sees Mr. Cinna standing in front of the door with Miss Effie and Miss Portia standing behind him. They look disheveled but they seem fine and Gale opens the door at Mr. Cinna's insistent face.

"Kids! Are your all right?" he asks a little breathlessly.

"We are fine professor, just a few concussions and bruises but we are all okay" Gale answers as he looks around at his friends and classmates.

"Fine. We are taking you out of here. The windows in this part of the building have small window panes that are removable and Cato and his friends are currently at the library…so we can help you get out through that window" he tells them and they all turn around to see the windows and wonder how any of them didn't think about opening the curtains and finding a way out through there. Gale notices that Mr. Cinna says Cato and his friends and he knows that his suspicions about there being more than one shooter are correct.

"We can go out?" their voices rise and he can hear the relief in their tones.

He can't feel that relief. Not when he knows that Katniss and Peeta are not okay.

"Yes, follow me" he says as Miss Effie and Miss Portia follow him helping him to remove the small window panes that are big enough to fit them without moving the curtains.

"I'm going out first. We cleared this entire hallway of students so we are coming with you" says Miss Effie.

And so students start going out.

His cell phone vibrates on his hand and he looks immediately that there's a text from Katniss.

"_He's hurt. Please come! We are in the art hallway classroom 123" _

He feels as if all the air has been sucked out of the room. He feels cold. He looks to Finnick who is helping Thom out of the window as Miss Effie and Miss Portia help him on the other side. He catches his eyes and walks to where he is standing.

"What's wrong?" asks Finnick like knowing there is something wrong.

"He's hurt" is all he says and Finnick pales. Finnick turns to look at Mr. Cinna. They both know that there is no way in hell that Mr. Cinna is going to let Gale go out of this room in another way that is not through the window where everyone is going out. But they know too that Gale won't go anywhere that is not to where Katniss and Peeta are.

"I'll be diversion. Leave when there is only you and I left, okay?" he says and Gale nods saying thank you with his face more than with words. "Be careful, man" he says imploringly. He nods.

"_Please, be careful. He made me promise not to tell you. He didn't want to risk you"_

He grinds his teeth, his jaw tensing. Peeta is so stupid! Why is he always doing this? Why protecting people at your own risk? But then again…isn't that what he is going to do too? He tells her he's on his way.

He still remembers clearly the day Katniss pounded on his door and he had to run a few houses down to find Peeta bruised and breathing with difficulty because his mom had beaten him up.

He loves his brothers with his heart. His father was constantly busy and hardly at home when they were little so he had to take the role of a father too. Maybe that's the reason why he took on that part at an early age. But with Peeta…he was a friend, a brother and he gave as much as he received from the boy.

It would be unfair to say that his brothers were different to him than Peeta, because well they are younger and don't understand much about the responsibilities that he's got on his shoulders. And those responsibilities usually come from them but still. It's not like they can help him the way Peeta does. And adding to that is that…he has always wanted to give that kind of freedom to his brothers, the sense that they can be kids as long as they want to and not being forced to grow up so fast like he had to. It is very different with Peeta.

It was like… a long lost brother that didn't add more responsibilities. He is more than just a friend. He is like a brother he knew he could count on and that would never leave him alone. He had, in many ways protected Gale even if he didn't know or didn't acknowledge how much he had. Peeta always thought he was less and meant less and did less than he actually did. Those were the lingering effects of having a mother like his.

Finnick pretends he can't get out and needs Mr. Cinna's help. He thinks Mr. Cinna already knows that Gale is not planning to come out through that window.

He takes advantage of that and as silently and as fast as he can he moves to the door and is out of the classroom in seconds. He starts walking towards the class but in the way stops in the bathroom when he hears some laughter coming from a hallway close to him. He takes advantage of that and calls 911 but only to get more angry when they tell him that they are doing everything they can and that they will reach his friend as soon as the situation is under control or something like that.

All he can think about is that if Katniss is asking for help is because Peeta probably is pretty bad and she can't stand to see him like that anymore.

When he reaches the classroom he tries to open the door but it doesn't relent so he texts Katniss and then tries again and that's when she opens the door. As soon as she sees him her eyes water and she jumps to his arms knocking the air out of him.

"You made it!" she says simultaneously.

"You should've told me sooner Catnip!" he tells her and he is mad but he can't be that mad at the same time because she was trying to keep him safe too. It must not have been easy for her, being in this situation.

"Gale?" he hears Peeta and he walks to behind some canvases and stuff and sees him sitting on the floor against some closets covered with a piece of fabric. He looks pale and sweaty and tired. And Gale feels madder at the sight, thankful at the same time because his brothers are home and safe. God bless chickenpox!

"What the fuck dude?" he asks kneeling next to him. He places his hand on Peeta's forehead only to find it clammy. His lips are really really pale and he is worried. He doesn't look good at all. He knows all these signs and what they mean. After all, they took that class on Peeta's insistence.

"Why did you come? Why did you call him?" He asks looking first at him and then at Katniss. He knows that look, the look that says that what she did is unforgivable and he sees Katniss wince. This somehow makes him get madder.

"Shut up! How could you ask her not to tell me? Just shut the hell up" Gale tells him looking at him seriously. "We have to get you out of here dude…this doesn't look good" he says standing up and running his hands through his hair he knows he copied this action from Peeta but it actually soothes him when he is nervous or mad. Right now, if he is honest, he is pretty scared.

"No" he answers and Gale turns to look at him sharply.

"You don't have much time Peeta. Your breathing is shallow, your skin clammy, you are shivering. All of those signs that you are going into shock dude! You know what follows?" he asks him.

"What do you know?" he asks him but he knows that Peeta knows he is right. After all they take most of the same classes and this was one of them and they took it because of him God damn it! Some shit about emergency cases and stuff.

"I'm not an idiot Peeta!" he yells and Katniss jumps. "I know you didn't want to risk me or Catnip here but we have to get you out! As soon as I found out I called 911 but they said they can get in until it is qualified as a secure area. That's not happening soon…no one knows for certain where the hell Cato and his friends are so we are taking you out right now" he tells him and he sounds authoritative. Is behind that tone that he hides how scared he is, how bad the situation is!

"I don't think I can" Peeta says almost in a whisper and he can feel the blood draining from his face. For Peeta to admit that… he shakes his head, this can't be happening. He is going to take him on his arms in order to get him out if he needs to. He is going to do whatever it takes! He hasn't been keeping him out of his house to keep him alive only to have him killed by a psycho in school where they were supposed to be safe, where Peeta had always been safe!

"Peeta" Katniss tells him as he looks at the floor and winces. "I know" she tells him taking his face between her hands. "That's why I called Gale! We are getting you out of here okay? And after that we are going to talk about what you told me! We are going to but you have to be strong okay?" she asks of him. He wonders what happened while they were alone. He wonders if this is what it took for Katniss to tell him…or for Peeta to tell him. These two are unbelievable.

Peeta's face is pale and he winces looking down sadly and he wonders even more now what it is they have to talk about. It doesn't matter. They have to get him out of there!

He sees Peeta nod tiredly. He looks resigned. That's all they need.

"Come on" he says as he helps Peeta get up and he sees him pale as he tries to stand on the leg. He passes Peeta's arm over his shoulders and sustains the majority of his weight. He is taller than Peeta so it is sort of easy. "It's okay Peet! Small steps! We are getting you out of here"

"I'm not worried about that" he tells him seriously and he knows. Oh, he knows that he is not worried about himself but about Katniss and him and he feels like crying. Gale never cries.

"I know what you are worried about. But we are going to be okay…you are the one that matters right now, okay?" Peeta moves his head weakly.

"Why don't you guys just go out and look for help and then come back later?" he asks as Katniss takes his other arm passing it over her shoulders.

"You are not alone Peet! You have not been alone since you were seven and Catnip found you. So you are not alone now…we are not leaving without you…" he repeats.

"Let's go" says Gale and they start walking. He thinks Peeta is in and out of consciousness because at moments he feels him not helping at all to walk out of there. It is okay, it doesn't matter. If he has to carry him or drag him out of there to save him he is going to.

"You can do this Peeta, we know you can!" Katniss tells him.

"Wait…please" he asks them and Katniss and him share a worried look. "Katniss…I…"

"Peeta please…we have to get you out of here…" she says urgently. She knows too the precarious of the situation.

Everywhere they look they can see blood and in some places even some bodies. He feels Peeta lose his footing a couple of times and he sees down to where the makeshift bandage is placed and he knows he has to put something else on his leg to stop the bleeding. It seems like walking had made the wound start bleeding heavily again and he doesn't think Peeta has any more blood to shed.

"We'll stop here first" he says as he sees the nurse station. He shares panicked look with Katniss who seems to understand exactly how terrified he is feeling.

They get in and surprisingly there is no one there. They sit him in a chair and run inside to grab bandages and stuff. He gives Katniss a hoodie to put it on Peeta who is shivering heavily.

"We have to put this on you" he hears her say Katniss taking one of his arms and putting it inside one of the sleeves of the hoodie. Then the other arm and she hugs him rubbing his back with her hands to give him some warmth.

"Best part of my day", he hears him say and sigh and his heart breaks a little at that.

"The best part is going to be when we are out of here" she whispers but he hears. I walk to them and grab the bandages that I am going to need.

"This may hurt Peet but I'm going to apply another bandage, tighter okay? We need to buy a little more time, we are close now". Peeta nods and grunts a little when he tightens the bandages around his leg. "Now we go" Gale says and just like before they support him with their bodies as they walk out again.

They are so close that Gale could yell in relief. They just have to turn to the right and at the end of that hallway is the exit. But it was too good to be true! As they turn there is Cato standing with a rifle or something like that hanging on his shoulder. He turns around and he sees them standing there. His eyes widen.

"Whoa Whoa Whoaaaa!" he says putting his hands up. He pales. Katniss pales and Peeta looks from one to the other one, all Gale can feel is that they are so close and yet so far and that Peeta doesn't have the time. Not much more. Fuck! They have to make it on time! He just wants to run past Cato and get Peeta out of there!

"What the hell happened to you Peet?" Cato asks. He looks genuinely concerned. Gale wonders how he has the nerve to look concerned; this is his doing after all!

"What do you think happened to him?" he asks sending daggers with his eyes towards Cato's. If he didn't have that big gun on his arm and if he wasn't in such a rush to get out of there so Peeta can get the medical attention he needs he would beat the crap out of him.

"Shit, I told you to stay away from the hallway today!" Cato turns to look at Peeta angrily and he can't believe that Peeta probably knew this was going to happen.

"I forgot…" Peeta manages to croak out and he knows then that Peeta didn't know. He couldn't possibly!

"Shit, shit shit! This isn't my fault! It's your fault! I told you! I told you God damn it!" he starts yelling and pacing in the corridor, he looks crazy. He takes the gun and places it on his hands from time to time as he paces and runs a hand on his neck.

"It's done dude…just let us get out!" Gale tells him slowly, like when he hunts and approaches a wounded or scared animal. "We have to get him out or he is going to die…he's shivering like mad now…there's not much time left" Gale tells him and Cato's face scrunches up with some sort of worry and indecision.

He seems to ponder for a few seconds what his plan of action is going to be. Seconds that tick away from Peeta who keeps bleeding.

"Please Cato, Please! Let us take him out please" Katniss begs but he only shakes his head.

"No! No one is going out!" He yells. "I'm sorry Peet I'm really sorry I can't let you go" he says and he sounds genuinely sorry. He keeps looking everywhere like if he says or does the wrong thing something bad is going to happen and he wonders where the other shooters are, he wonders why is Cato doing this and why he looks the way he does. Something is off, something doesn't make sense.

"He is your friend! Are you going to let him die?" Katniss yells. He knows she is desperate now, he is too. He can hear the tears in her voice. "If he dies you killed him! You are killing your friend!" she yells again and Cato shakes his head. He looks from side to side nervously.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" he yells and points at them with his gun. Then he lowers it and he opens his mouth as if to start saying something but then closes it.

That's when Gale sees a head, more like a helmet in one of the windows in the door. The police officer moves his hands as if telling him to get down and he counts to three with his fingers. At three he pulls Katniss and Peeta down to the floor and he hears the doors banging open and shots.

Everything happens in a blur. Police officers enter the school. Katniss is screaming for help he doesn't think that she knows she is yelling. The paramedic asks them if they are okay but they just point at Peeta. The paramedic tells him to help him apply pressure as they put an IV and who knows what else.

As soon as they are out his mother and his brothers and little Posy run to where he is as does Katniss family. There's no one for Peeta and he grinds his teeth. Katniss gets into the ambulance with him and he detaches himself from his family.

"We know son" his mother tells him as she hugs him tighter. "It's going to be okay! I am so proud of you! Now let's go to the hospital!" she says as she wipes the tears from his cheeks. Tears he didn't even know that he was shedding. Tears that are not out of relief because as much as he feels it because they are out now and Peeta is on his way to the hospital, he knows this is not over. That he may not make it. And that if he doesn't he doesn't know what he is going to do to live with himself.

**AN. Hope you enjoy! Only a couple more chapters! Thank you so much for the follows and favorites as well as for the reviews! They keep me motivated and going! For the guests leaving reviews thank you so much! Just so you don't have to keep checking all the time Sundays are the days to update! Hope to hear from you! **

**I thought it was very important to tell Gale's point of view of all this and so here it is! Next is Katniss point of view with the outcome of this entire ordeal! Be patient! I promise to update faster if you are good to me! Jk jk! I hope I don't disappoint! **


	5. Chapter 5 Katniss' POV

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**It is still Sunday here I hope it still is Sunday where you live! **

**Chapter 5**

He starts dozing off and that gets her even more scared. She doesn't know if being awake is a must but she knows that watching him with his eyes closed and pale as he is terrifies her because it is almost as if he's dead. She feels like she is losing him. So she calls his name and shakes him because she doesn't know what else to do to keep him awake. To keep him rooted to where they are and not to have him disappear and feel him taken away from her.

Then he tries to convince her to not tell Gale what is happening by telling her in detail the story of how she came to save him that day all those years ago. It doesn't work. She knows she has to tell Gale but she doesn't know how she is going to do it without him noticing.

The frosting on the cake comes when he asks her to leave with Wiress and Beete and leave him there. Of course everything inside of her head tells her to run. She is scared and she is a survivor so her first instinct is to run as fast as she can away from there. But she won't because she just has to look at him in her indecisive state to know that she can't do that. That if she leaves him and he dies she'll never really will get home, not really. She'll spend the rest of her life in that classroom, in that school trying to think of a way out.

She notices that he is dozing off and she lets him only for a few seconds, just enough to send Gale the message that she needs to so he can come and help them. She calls his name and he doesn't open his eyes so she tries touching his arm but again he doesn't open her eyes so she starts calling his name and shakes him hard and that's when he opens his eyes. Those seconds in which he didn't move or woke up when she called his name just increase the feeling that seems to be consuming her body. It is a clear indicator that he won't last much longer.

The awful feeling is only increasing the more time they spend there and she knows that she needs to get him out of here. She is going to give Gale five minutes or so and If he doesn't get there she is taking him out of there. She doesn't care if she has to drag him or carry him…she doesn't care she is going to.

He is pale and shivering and she has been controlling herself. She has been keeping herself from touching him, just giving him little hand squeezes, because she won't want to let go if she does relent to much more but what is happening proves to be too much. And somehow she needs reassurance that he is still alive. That everything is going to be okay so she starts rubbing his arms to keep him a little warm the contact making her skin feel with goosebumps that almost feel like electricity.

And then he tells her that he's liked her all these years and she can't believe it. She feels so happy that she wants to scream and shout and jump and then she remembers where they are, why they are there and the precarious situation they are in. Her blissful moment, the moment in which she felt she could fly and touch the sky taken away from her. Short lived.

Is it selfish that she wished it had happened under different circumstances? She wished more than anything to tell him that she feels the same way. That she has felt the same way ever since she saw his blue eyes for the first time when they were children. That she didn't know she could feel this but that she does. She can't believe it. She can't believe she lost all these years thinking that she was not good enough. She wasted all these years and now she may not have much more left with him. Her face pales and she feels cold to the bone. She tries to say something to him, her eyes filling with tears. But she can't, he doesn't let her. And besides the words seem to be stuck inside her because really! What are the right words right know? She doesn't think there are, at least not words that can truly convey how she feels about him and how long she has felt this way!

After that she has no idea how they made it out of there. She just knows that she is going to owe Gale for the rest of her life because he shows up and even if he is mad at her for taking so long to tell her he jumps into action just like she expected him to. She knows too that Peeta, if he wasn't as tired as he is, would be yelling at her right now because the look she saw on his face when he saw Gale was one of betrayal. She doesn't care what he thinks as long as he lives, she can live with his anger. One moment they are going out of the class, Peeta going in and out of consciousness as they drag him outside. All she can think about is getting him out of there because she can almost feel the life draining out of him the longer they are inside the school.

When they stop at the nurse station and she places the hoodie on him and she hears him say that that is the best part of his day, she doesn't think he intended her to hear, she wants to cry. She hugs him and rubs his back as she tries to warm him but all she really wants to do is stay there with him on her arms and freeze that moment forever.

Next they are standing in the hallway with Cato in front of them and she has never felt more scared and desperate. The only other time she felt like this was when she thought her Dad had died in the mining accident all those years ago. Thank God he hadn't or she doesn't know, she doesn't what to think how her life would be right now.

She even retorts to beg Cato. He seems conflicted, like he is worried about Peeta but at the same time scared of what letting them out would mean. Maybe even scared of someone as he keeps looking everywhere around him. She doesn't know why but she looks at Gale and he seems to be looking at something and then just like when all this started they fall to the floor as everything turns into chaos around them.

When she looks up Cato is in the floor moaning and the police officers and paramedics enter the building running. She looks at Peeta next to her and with Gale they put him on his back. He's pale and he seems to finally have lost consciousness she wants to cry. Is he gone?

The paramedics rush to their side and as she and Gale are questioned whether they are hurt or not, probably because they have blood in their hands, they shake their heads pointing to Peeta. She tells them, more than yells at them to help him. She takes his hand as they work on him and one of the paramedics asks Gale to apply pressure to the leg as they hook an IV to his hand.

Everything is a blur after that. She doesn't know when her father, mother and little Prim showed up. They hug her as she sees Peeta being load into the ambulance, his face slack and pale.

There is no one there for him. Not even his brothers and when they ask if someone is coming with him she jumps at the opportunity his father smiling encouragingly at her and Prim wiping tears from her eyes just like her mother.

She takes his hand as she watches the paramedics placing and oxygen mask over his face and checking his eyes and God knows what else. They are asking for blood through the radio and the ambulance is going faster than it probably should. But it doesn't really matter if that is going to save him.

She is scared. Scared that he is going to die because he looks worse than that day that his mother beat him and he looks weak and she doesn't realize what is happening until the paramedic asks her to let go of his hand and to clear the way.

His heart stops and hers stop with his. She starts crying as she watches the paramedics working on him, when she thinks that all hope is lost because she feels like a thousand years have passed in that little moment they manage to revive him and she hears his heart start beating again. His eyelids flutter she sees his blue eyes for a moment and then they close again.

She breathes in relief at knowing that his heart is beating again but dread at the thought that he just died and there was nothing she could do. That she almost lost him and that she never told him how she felt about him. That it was almost too late.

"Don't leave please" she whispers as she looks at him. He looks so pale. And as the time passes she feels him drifting away from her.

They reach the hospital and they wheel him inside and she's left outside without being able to go further. She can't stop crying. Everything she has been trying to suppress from the moment all this started comes crashing down on her.

Somehow as she is in the waiting room it fills with people. Gale, Annie, Finnick and everyone else around her.

Peeta's dad and brothers arrive sometime around noon but they still don't know anything about Peeta. Just that he is alive. And for the moment that's enough.

It turns out Cato isn't dead. The other shooters, because he wasn't the only one took their lives but he didn't.

He says that they forced him to, that they threatened him after he heard them talking about it. He wanted to call the police and tell them but they told him they were going to kill everyone he loved if he did and so he participated too. He says he didn't want to hurt anyone. That he only shot once and to make people run from the hallway when he had seen Peeta standing there. The police find out that there's only one bullet from Cato's gun involved in all this and that is the bullet that they took from Peeta's leg. Cato cries. She sees him because he is in the same hospital being treated for some minor wounds. She understands him and yet she doesn't…there are at least 20 people hurt and 6 dead in total. Peeta isn't one of the dead luckily but he still isn't out of the woods.

They had to ask for blood because with all the people hurt they ran out of supplies so she donated and now her blood is on his veins.

The emergency surgery that they had to practice on him went out okay. They were able to save his leg and his life for the moment but what has them worried is what is going to happen next. He hasn't woken up and they aren't sure why that is. It can be because of his body not ready to come back or they aren't sure. They are not saying anything and she suspects it is to not alert them.

She turns to see Gale and sees his eyes water. Their friends and mothers leave as it gets late, everyone but Gale and Katniss who don't move. And so their parents stay with them.

"Do you think you will get to see him?" her dad asks as he sits next to her in the benches. Gale and his dad are sitting in the other corner.

"Hope so Dad, I really do" she answers.

"I think he will make it. He's been through worse…he is a strong boy" he tells her and turns around to finally look at her. "How are you?" he asks her now and she looks directly to his gray eyes. The ones she inherited.

"I'm fine Dad. He…", her eyes water and she hates herself because she thought she had ran out of tears after her first breakdown but it doesn't look like it. Now that they are out and she's been able to re think every single thing that went on today all she can think is about the overwhelming pain that takes her heart. Because it doesn't matter that they are out now…Peeta is inside that room because of her, because of her stupidity. She looks up to his dad again and his kind gray eyes are still looking at her.

"He saved you" her father voices and hugs her as she crumbles crying. It's not only that this is her fault but somehow in the silence of the waiting room and now that calm has surrounded them she can still hear yelling and gunshots. Every time she closes her eyes for more than a few seconds she sees again the bodies and she sees Peeta's pale face. All of the things that happened today come crumbling down again and suffocate her.

"I froze Dad…he covered me and got shot because I froze…I've never frozen before. And the shots and the people and there was so much blood dad" she says as she brings her hands to cover her face.

"Baby" her dad says and engulfs her in his arms. He hums in her ear, the old hanging tree song that her mother hates so much but has always managed to calm her down. "He's going to be fine" he tells her soothingly. "Everything is going to be fine. I give you my word" he says and she nods burying her face in her father's shirt.

And she knows that all she can do now is hope that everything…everything will be fine. She clings to her dad and cries a little more, just because she never does and she can right now, and just because it hurts too much not to cry right now out of mere relief. Because she's alive, and he is alive and it doesn't matter how much time it takes this is going to pass too.

Her father and Gale's father are in the cafeteria looking for something to keep them busy. They know Gale and she are not moving from that waiting area until they see Peeta and make sure with their own eyes that he is alive and relatively good.

As they are sitting there not uttering a word and deep in thought the elderly woman approaches them with a kind smile on her face. It's nearly three in the morning and Peeta's dad and his brothers have left to come back in the morning when they have left the bakery ready for the other workers to take over.

"You may go in now, but only for a short time" Says Mags, Finnick's aunt who works in the hospital and has been assigned as Peeta's nurse. She places her hand on Gales shoulder and motions with her head towards the doors.

They stand in front of the room and Katniss takes Gale's hand in hers and squeezes hard, he squeezes back. It is the reassurance they both need to take the next step and see their friend.

They open the door and they see Peeta in the bed. He still looks pale but the bluish tint is gone from his lips, he's got an oxygen mask on his face but he definitely looks better than he did those last minutes before they finally got him out. He seems out of it.

They both walk closer to him and just stand there looking at him. Gale seems twitchy and out of nowhere places his hand on top of Peeta's chest. She looks at him not understanding for a moment and then she does.

"He's alive Gale." she tells him and he nods but keeps his hand on his chest.

"I thought…for a moment" he manages to get out but stops talking. She is glad he does because he sounds like he wants to cry and she doesn't think that she could stand if he does. Not Gale who is the strongest and bravest person she knows. Not Gale who is going to get a medal with Finnick for what he did today helping so much people.

She places her hand on top of his and feels the steady up and down of Peeta's chest as he breathes and somehow finds it soothing. She understands perfectly well what Gale is thinking, they are really alike after all. She had thought for a moment, when Cato had refused to let them go out that it was over. That Peeta was going to die right there with his arms around their shoulders as she saw the blood trickling down his sneaker.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner…I am really sorry…I just made it worse" she tells Gale as they keep looking at him there on the bed with the oxygen mask still on his face, just like when they were in the ambulance.

"No, it's okay…you did in the end. Besides I don't envy you Katniss…he's going to be really mad at you" he smiles."It won't last because…it's you…but still." he smiles and she smiles too. "I even think that I will take the brunt of his anger and not you" he looks at her squinting.

"I'm glad he's going to be there to be mad at me…he is going to be mad at you too anyway…so we may as well team up" she tells him with a small smile.

"Stupid Peeta" he mutters. She sees something in Gale's face. The good thing is that Gale thinks just the way she does, that Peeta is going to be okay and is going to wake up, even if the doctors haven't said a thing in hours.

"He told me he's liked me since we were little" she tells him suddenly. She needs to tell someone even if she knows that Gale already knew. Somehow his comments and snickers and glances with his brothers, sister and Prim make sense now. "You knew. Didn't you?" she asks not taking her eyes away from Peeta.

Gale has the decency to look surprised for a second and then smiles.

"Yeah…I've known since we were little. It is kind of an inside joke with Prim and the rest of the kids…even my mom and my dad know" he says laughing a little.

"Even your mom and your dad know?" she asks outraged.

"Even _your_ mom and dad know" he says smiling. She blushes wildly. "What did you say?" he asks and she shakes her head.

"I couldn't. We got interrupted and then you showed up and I didn't…"she tells him and her eyes water. "His heart stopped in the ambulance…I thought for a moment that he was gone, and all I could think about is how stupid I had been for not telling him. I am such a coward" she tells him and places her hand, that was previously on top of Gale's on Peeta's cheek. She traces his cheek and then his jaw caressing his face softly as if he is as fragile as glass.

"You will when he wakes up" he tells her slowly. "Thank you for saving him. Thank you for telling me" he says and she shakes her head.

"Just promise me that you won't tell him no matter what, okay? I think he has to hear this from me. He's waited enough and the least I could do is tell him myself". Gale nods.

"I promise"

"Kids, I'm going to get in trouble if they find you here. I think you've been with him enough" she says glancing at the clock and they notice they've been inside for an hour. They both nod and start to make their way out, not before glancing both of them at Peeta and finally closing the door.

Their dads had to practically rip them out of the waiting area chairs so they could eat, shower and nap for a while but as soon as she closed her eyes everything started happening again in her dream.

She couldn't stop seeing Peeta in different ways but always bad ways; first pale, then bloody and finally dead. That last time she woke up yelling to a Prim who reassured her that he was alive and that she was okay, that everything that had happened in the school was over now. The hard part was going to be to convince her head.

She called Gale and asked her to take her to the hospital. If her nightmares were like those ones she didn't want to think about the ones Peeta would be having.

It takes her a little time to convince her dad to let her go. It seems that what happened let them apprehensive. She has to reassure them several times that she is only going to the hospital and she will be back. That she won't stop somewhere else and that she will be okay. Her dad isn't convinced and she guesses that Gale is having a similar problem when he doesn't show up as fast as he usually does.

"Honey, things haven't changed with him. Peeta is still the same. I called Mags"

"I understand mom but still…I want to see him if I can. Please?" she asks and turns to her dad making those eyes that she knows melt his heart. Finally, he relents.

When she hears Gale's car outside she runs before he can do anything else or before her parents regret allowing her to go out. As she suspected he informs her that his parents didn't want him to go out of the house. She thinks that is going to take a long time for them to be okay with the idea of them being outside. After all, she thinks, there's no safe place if not even in the school they can be kept safe.

"My mom called" she informs her as they are on their way to the hospital. "They said he is still the same" she tells him and she sees Gale nod.

"Yeah, she told my mom" he says and his voice sounds quiet.

"He's going to be okay, won't he?" she asks him.

"I want to believe that" he tells her. "But I'm scared Catnip…" she nods because she is scared too.

They are not able to see Peeta today, his mom and one of his brothers are there and the woman absolutely refuses to allow them to go into the room. Mags looks conflicted. Everyone knows in town who Peeta's real family is.

"I want them Go" she yells as she shakes her head to an imploring Madge.

"Mother" Rye who is next to her and looking conflicted tells her sounding…warningly?

"No, Rye. I don't want those people inside there with your brother. Lord knows that girl is to blame for what happened to your brother"

"Mom!" he yells and Katniss can't help but to flinch. She knows it is her fault but hearing that woman say it…just hurts even more. It is like her tone of voice is dripping with venom that burns when it comes out. She wonders how many times has she talked like this to Peeta and burned him with her words.

"It is the truth Rye and you know it"

"No, I don't" he tells her and looks directly to Katniss shaking his head. Gale is bristling next to her and she takes his hand and squeezes it just to keep him from retorting or doing something else.

"And what are you doing here boy?" she asks Gale. "Came to see your "brother"?" she asks with a sneer in her voice. She has always hated how Gale and Peeta thought themselves to be family when they weren't. She knows that in her head Peeta's mom sees them as inferior for how they look and how the live even when they are in the same neighborhood.

"Mom, that's enough!" Rye yells next to her.

"Why? Why is it enough? Aren't you jealous that this boy thinks to be your brother's brother? Doesn't it make you mad that these low life people consider themselves his family?"

Rye stays quiet shaking his head. She doesn't blame him. She knows what talking back to that woman would mean for Rye as soon as they go back home. She has seen Rye and Wheaton share Peeta's bruises through the years. They may not defend Peeta but often they share his pain and in Katniss' eyes that makes them his brothers even if Gale thinks otherwise.

"And now on top of thinking of him as their family! As if that isn't insulting enough they think they can come in here and see him when it is all her fault! ", she spats. "He is in here and not waking up because of you!" she points to Katniss walking to where she is standing with Gale. "I told that boy that you would be the death of him but he never listens!" she tells her and Katniss can feel how close she is and for a moment she wonders if the woman is actually going to hit her.

"That's enough!" a voice sounds from behind her and she turns around to see her mother standing there. "I will not tolerate this! You will not talk that way to my daughter I won't allow it!" she yells and stands up in front of Peeta's mom looking her down. Peeta's mom opens her mouth to say something then but she never gets it out. "We are his family as much as he is your flesh and bone Leona so don't try and deny it! We love and dote on that boy more than you will ever do! You don't deserve him! And stop blaming Katniss for this! Peeta decided to do this and you have to respect his decision…even if I don't know how you will do it seeing as you have never been able to respect him as it is!" she tells her and Peeta's mom only turns around and leaves her mom standing there.

"I am so sorry about this", Rye says looking down. "We don't believe any of the things she said, I swear!" he tells them and then looks at Gale. "Thank you for taking him out of there…for being a better brother than we could ever be for him" he says sadly and Katniss heart hurts at seeing the normally boisterous boy looking so down.

"No" Gale tells him placing his hand on his shoulder. "Just because I defend him in different ways you are not less his brother. I've seen you defend him in so many others…don't think you are less his brother. He loves you guys!" he tells him and Rye nods his eyes grateful.

"You can go in" Mags tells them interrupting the moment. They both turn to look at Rye.

"Yeah, you guys go. I don't like to see him like that" he tells them and they can't say that they don't understand. They don't like to see him like that either but they like to see that he is alive.

"I meant one of you first and then the other", Mags stops them with a smile as she sees both of them turning to the now familiar room.

"Do we have to leave soon?" Gale asks and when Mags says they don't, he smiles. "I'll go first" he says and walks towards the room.

As she waits she starts to think about how she is going to tell him now that she feels the same way. That she has liked him ever since they were little children and she found him that day. That even if he was in that much pain that day she has been grateful with God ever since for making that happen and allowing her to find him there.

That she is so stupid because she had no reason to decide for him whether he would feel the same way about her and she should have told him how she felt ages ago.

And she wonders too…how is it that she never noticed that he liked her too? How has she been so blind and for so long? She will never understand.

"I'm sorry about what my mom said" Rye tells her.

"Don't be" she tells him with a smile. She turns to look at him and he is looking at the floor. Looks up to her and smiles but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asks him placing her hand on his.

"It's just that…I do feel bad and jealous sometimes when Gale is around in the bakery" he tells her and smiles. "Mom does know how to strike the right places" he says smiling ruefully.

"You don't have to feel that way. Peeta is talking about you guys all the time…just because he thinks of Gale as a brother it doesn't mean…in Gale's words that you are less Peeta's brother"

"But we never do anything for him…I can only think about the bruise and the pain when it comes to her so I don't dare do anything…I mean…I've defended him before you know…but only when it is too much…I should've done something else…I should've protected him better…I am his brother, not Gale"

"You do protect him you know. Peeta understands. I've heard him say it many times. He understands why you don't do anything most of the time and he doesn't blame you", she says and Rye smiles.

"That's so Peeta isn't it?"

"It is" she smiles and that's when Gale comes out.

She figures that If Gale took half an hour or so to come out she can take as much. He's going to have to wait. Now that she thinks of it…probably that's why he decided to go first.

She gets into the room and there's Peeta with the mask on an a little color but still asleep. She pulls the chair and sits next to his bed. Takes his hand in his and squeezes it like willing him to wake up based on that action only.

"They don't know why you aren't waking up…or they don't want to tell us…I don't want to be a pessimist but until you wake up I won't be sure that we actually saved you but Peeta…Now that I know, don't leave me. Please, don't you dare!"

Her hands are itching. All the time while they were in that classroom trapped all she wanted to do was hug him, reassure him through actions that everything was going to be okay but again she had been too scared to show him. And then he had told her he liked her and they had gotten interrupted by everything and the only thing she got to do was hug him. And it had felt magnificent but so lame at the same time because Peeta deserved better.

She feels his hand twitch in hers and she looks up to his face. He seems tense and he is breathing hard, he looks like he's got a nightmare so she starts combing some curls that are on his forehead with her fingers gently and she does the only thing she can think of that will calm him.

She starts singing. My precious one by Celine Dion is the first one to come to her mind and it seems to be working when Peeta seems to start relaxing.

She must have fallen asleep and Gale is going to kick her ass. That's what she thinks when she realizes that she is resting her arms and head on a soft surface and it smells clean and like disinfectant.

She still feels Peeta's hand in hers and she squeezes it. She likes waking up like this and that's when she feels a weak squeeze back. She lifts her head slowly because it can't be what she is thinking and that's when she sees the striking blue of his eyes looking back at her.

"You're awake" she says groggily.

"Hey" he says and smiles.

"You need water, anything?" she asks as she sits straight and takes her hand from his with wide eyes and blushing because she just got caught by Peeta sleeping next to him.

"Naaa I already gave him water sleepy head" Gale says from behind and she stiffens and blushes even more.

"I'm sorry" she says but both boys smile. "Are you okay?" she asks looking at him and he smiles and she feels like she's melting.

"I'm okay. Thank you for saving me" he says and Gale laughs behind her.

"Yeah, of course. She gets the soft side of you and I get all the anger"

"Shut up. That's not true" he tells him smiling.

"Kids" sounds Mags voice.

"Yeah, yeah…We are leaving he needs his rest" Gale says like it's not the first time that Mags shows up. "Come on Catnip! You had enough rest"

"Yeah, but…when did you…"

"He woke up about half an hour ago and you were sleeping next to him and I came to check up on you and I found him awake…I gave him water he tried to yell at me for going to save him and then you woke up" she tells her as he pulls her arm so she will stand up and they will get out of there.

"Bye Peeta" Gale says and Katniss looks at him conflicted. This wasn't how she imagined this would be so she sighs and repeats Gale's words. She sees Peeta give her a weak smile as he waves his hand.

"Will you stop it?" Gale tells her as they are walking to his door.

"I fell asleep…I didn't get to see him or anything when he was finally awake" she says and places both hands on her face. "So unfair!"

"You didn't miss much! Doctors came in when I saw him awake because I called them. They wanted to take us out but of course you were asleep there so Peeta didn't allow it. They said that he probably took that much to wake up because his body was reconfiguring after losing too much blood and the transfusion and all"

"He's going to be okay now, won't he?" she asks and he nods.

"He'll be discharged tomorrow or the day after tomorrow"

"Great!" she exclaims as the get into his house. Gale smiles and shakes his head.

So far none of the things that she imagined going certain way had been like that and she has a feeling that telling him how she feels won't go the way she thinks it will either. It's just a hunch.

For all the love that Peeta doesn't get from his parents he gets from the Hawthornes and even her own parents. That's what she thinks about as she walks to his room with a few presents from her parents and two cards, one from Prim and one from Posy. Both girls made her promise to deliver the cards personally because she is a girl and boys lie. Or that was what Posy had said when Gale asked her why she didn't ask him.

She reaches the room and she sees him there sitting watching something on the tv.

"Hey" she says and smiles shyly.

"Hey, Katniss" he smiles and again just like yesterday the smile doesn't quite reaches his eyes.

"How are you today?" she asks and he shrugs.

"I'm okay. I feel fine"

"Your leg?" she says looking at his leg.

"It's okay too. I'll just need some therapy but it is okay"

They stay silent. It feels awkward and something is off, she can feel it.

"Peeta"

"Katniss" they both call each other at the same time.

"I brought you some gifts from my parents and from Posy and Prim" she tells him with a smile. She gives him first the package and he takes it with a smile.

"Katniss I…I wanted to talk about the other day. The shooting day I mean…" he tells her looking down and she feels cold. "I…I wanted to apologize…for what I told you. I didn't mean it…I guess I was scared and…" her heart falls to the bottom of her stomach. This wasn't what she was expecting when she got into the hospital today. She feels her eyes burning and the unmistakable lump in her throat.

"You don't have to apologize" she tells him shaking her head. "I'm just glad you are okay…I guess it must be hard to think that you are going to die…and being alone with me like that and well…" she says.

She sees him look at her intently…like he is trying to decipher something so she smiles.

"For God's sake!" yells Gale coming out of the bathroom. They both turn to look at him and he looks exasperated. "You guys are seriously something!" he yells as he throws his hands to the air and passes one over his hair. "How..?!" but he never finishes what he is saying because the look she gives him as if saying "you promised" stops him.

"I have to go. I just came for a little while to give you Prim and Posy's cards and my parents presents and to see if you needed anything" she gives a weak smile. Gale's eyes seem like they are about to pop out of his head with the look he gives her. He turns to look at Peeta who seems sad and resigned and is smiling to Katniss as he nods.

"Thank you for coming Katniss. Thank Posy and Prim! Tell your parents I loved the presents!" he smiles waving said presents.

"Why the hell are you leaving? How much time was I in the bathroom?" he asks bewildered.

"Shut up Gale!" Katniss says smiling. "You were in that bathroom far longer than healthy! Warn everyone before they dare to get in there!" she says smirking and Peeta smiles.

"Shut up Catnip!" he says as he slumps in the chair next to Peeta's bed. "Why the hell are you leaving? Not that I'm complaining but you should do what you came here to do" he says with a knowing look.

"I have to go. I just came for a short visit, just to deliver Prim and Posy's presents. I promised." She says and Gale nods defeated.

When she gets out of their view she leans against the wall outside the room. That was terrible, once again not what she thought. She breathes in and breathes out trying to calm herself. How could everything turn out this way? She had honestly believed that when she came out of this room today she would've told Peeta how she felt about him and they would be together and happy by now. She doesn't understand where everything went wrong…

"What the fuck dude?" Gale exclaims and she freezes. "What the hell was that?" he asks Peeta and she knows she is not supposed to listen to this but she can't make herself move. Her heart beats fast and strong like anticipating something but she doesn't really know what it is.

"Why did you tell her that you didn't mean it?" he asks and she hears the outrage in his voice.

"It was an out" he answers simply. "I don't want to put her in a position where she has to tell me that she doesn't reciprocate my feelings"

"Why the hell would you think that she doesn't?" Gale asks and she hears Peeta sigh.

"Gale"

"Don't Gale me! Answer me!"

"I saw it in her face that day at school! I saw it when I told her!" he says and Katniss has to think back to that day because she can't pin point the moment that may have given Peeta the impression that she didn't reciprocate his feelings.

She thinks she has the answer now. She just has to tell him that he is wrong. Make him listen even if he doesn't want to.

"And…why make her tell me when I'm leaving and hopefully never coming back?" he asks Gale with a lower voice. Only her good huntress hearing allowed her to listen to that.

"What do you mean?" Gale asks surprised.

"I'm going to New York…I'm going to art school in a few weeks and…why subject both of us to that awkwardness when I'm leaving anyway?"

"I thought you were still thinking about it" Gale tells him.

"I was…but then this happened and…my mom came"

"What did she do?" Gale asked and she heard him walk surely to inspect Peeta, "What did she say?" he asks then and that means there's no bruise and all.

"I'm used to her belittling me ", she hears him breath in deeply. "But I've had enough…I'm going to miss you all but I've had enough and if I can run away from her I am going to" he tells him seriously. "I have an out and I'm taking it! Even when it will kill me…because you know it will!" he says.

"I guess…I understand you taking the scholarship…but why telling Katniss that you didn't mean it when you do?"

"I told you already…I didn't want to subject her to reject me and besides…It's better this way…imagine if she would've told me that she likes me too…I would have never left. I would've stayed here with my sick crazy mother only to stay close to her. I mean…a dream come true, right?"

Her eyes water just at the thought of him staying for her and she knows that she can't tell him anymore. She can't make him stay because as much as she loves him she wants him to be happy even if it is away from her. She runs.

She…she loves him, she thinks to her heart's dismay. And she can't keep him from what is going to keep him safe. She can't keep him from happiness. And most of all, if she can protect him she will even if that means letting him go. After all, she thinks…it really was too late.

**AN. I feel like most of you guys didn't like the last chapter. There was close no to reviews, so sad. Here's this one! I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, I promise I wasn't taking it hostage…real life got super busy and I couldn't update sooner as I originally intended to…and then I added some things here and boom! I hope you do like this one…let me hear from you guys it would mean the world to me, really! Just one more chapter left! Hope to hear from you! **

**Oh! And thank you for your reviews and follows and favorites! The name of each chapter now has the name of the character's point of view (thanks for the advice, as you see I took it!). **


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